Toeing Musharraf's line, PPP to bring new law to 'retire' Iftikhar Choudhary in June

South East Asia News.Net
Friday 4th April, 2008 (ANI)

Islamabad, Apr 4 : It seems that the largest party in the new Pakistan coalition government, the PPP won't pay heed to the second largest party PML-N's wish, and show deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chowdhary the door in June immediately after "honouring" him by reinstating for a few days.

PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif has been from the very beginning opposed to the idea of removing Chowdhary and reinstating all other deposed Supreme Court judges. But, the PPP apparently is toeing the line President Pervez Musharraf who suspended the chief justice twice, first on March 9 and then on November 7 last year, and wants his services terminated.

Had Choudhary not been removed from office, he would have continued as Chief Justice of Pakistan until 2013, the longest stint in the judicial history of Pakistan since 1947.

Under the present scheme of the Constitution, a chief justice remains so until attaining the age of superannuation, which is 63.

According to The Nation, the Gilani Government is considering a legal package under which the deposed judges would be reinstated within 30 days, but sacked Chief Justice will be shown the door through a new law that would restrict the tenure of country's top judge to three years.

Incidentally, Choudhary will complete three years in office in June.

The experts treating judicial crises are reportedly trying to convince the PML-N while pleading that Choudhary's personality had gone beyond the impartiality as being backed by several political parties, persons, organizations and groups after being sacked on November 3 last year for a second time.

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